Fisheries Management Plan 2007-2012 2012 Idaho Department of Fish and Game Plan History 1981-1985 1985 Plan Separate anadromous & resident plans Evolved from 5 to 6-year 6 plan Angler Opinion Survey The Process Public-Agency scoping Angler Opinion Survey Commission Briefing July 2006 Commission approval for public review Internal coordination Director s Office briefing Second public review Commission approval (March 07) 1
Fish and Game Commission Created by 1938 public initiative Appointed by Governor No more than 4 from same political party Staggered 4-year 4 terms Confirmed by Senate 7 commissioners representing each region Commission Duties Administer fish and game policy IC 36-103 By law, must meet Jan, Apr, July, and Oct Hire and supervise IDFG Director Supervise IDFG Establish regulations and other controls Approve budget and submit to Legislature Hold public hearings and make decisions 2
Purpose of Plan Comprehensive plan for managing public s fisheries resources Multi-year work plan for staff Establishes Department goals, objectives, and management direction Other agencies, Tribes, and interested parties take notice of Department s Plan Strategic Plan (Compass) The Compass adopted in 2005 Plans align with Compass 2007-2012 2012 Fish Plan is first Added complexity What s In the Plan? Part 1 is statewide direction & management principles Issues and strategies 2006 AOS results Management programs Performance measures 3
Performance Measures Compass directs us to measure progress towards attaining goals 2007-2012 2012 Plan contains measures a first! Makes us accountable to public, Commission, and elected officials Monitoring and evaluation result in self- correction, performance improvement, & accountability Example # 1 Program: Protect and restore fish habitat Measure: Restore 5 or more miles of stream channel for native salmonids annually Metric: Miles of stream restored Each region maintains records Annually compile statewide for reporting in Directions document which is provided to multiple stakeholders Example # 2 (from Draft YCT Plan) Metric 1: Miles of stream occupied by genetically pure YCT populations Metric 2: Number of genetically pure YCT populations Documented by long- term monitoring 4
Example # 3 Program: Providing family fishing opportunities managed as consumptive fisheries with simple fishing rules Measure: Add 2 family fishing waters in each region within the next 5 years Metric: # of new family fishing waters Plan Contents continued Part 2 represents drainage management Drainage description & overview Objectives and programs for each drainage Management direction by species for ALL important water bodies Objective and Program Example Objective: Restore native fish populations in Upper Priest Lake Program: Continue yearly removal of lake trout with gill nets and other means to reduce lake trout numbers 5
Public-Agency Comments 3 months of public comment Received via email, IDFG website, letters, phone calls, opinion surveys, open houses, & public meetings Reviewed by IDFG staff Make needed changes to Plan Summarize for Commission Protect and Restore Habitat Most important program to public Increase involvement in habitat restoration efforts and collaborate with others Diverse Angling Idaho anglers want diversity Support special regulations but want harvest opportunity Department will address this need by using a mixture of regulations and species in a variety of settings 6
Family Fishing Opportunities 88 Family Fishing Waters established Very popular program Supports public desire for simple, easy to read regulations AND provides good opportunity for youth, novices, and families Protect Native Trout Maintain fishing opportunities Continue emphasis using special regulations, habitat protection, & education Increase restoration actions Seek balance Recruiting/Retaining Anglers Majority of anglers fished >20 years and 50 years old New angler recruitment and lapse in adult participation Continue clinics, classroom education Work with fishing clubs/organizations to address youth fishing Mentoring 7
Species Plans Backlog of species plans in development Establish goals, objectives, and strategies Emphasize persistence, habitat restoration, & sport fishing Reinforce Department ability to protect and manage native species Species Management Plans In FMP, IDFG committed to completing a number of plans for individual subspecies, species, and ecosystems 3 cutthroat subspecies, white sturgeon, redband trout, non-game fishes, and alpine lakes Also working on Pacific lamprey plan that was a contract requirement with BPA Process Develop a draft document Seek Commission approval for public-agency comment period Review and incorporate comments as deemed appropriate Bring final plan before Commission for approval 8
Management Plan for Conservation of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Idaho Management Actions What IDFG Intends to Do Maintain fishing opportunities Expand range and persistence Involves 3 IDFG regions Collaborative & cooperative Involve private landowners Long-term effort Performance Measures Miles occupied by pure populations Number of pure populations Documented by ongoing monitoring efforts 9
Management Plan for Conservation of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Idaho Prepared by Idaho Department of Fish and Game and USDA Forest Service Management Actions Maintain fishing opportunities on BCT and other compatible species Expand range; increase persistence IDFG-USFS will cooperate with others to enhance habitat Involve private landowners Long-term effort Performance Measures Miles occupied by pure populations Number of pure populations Document by long-term monitoring 10
Management Plan for Conservation of Snake River White Sturgeon in Idaho White Sturgeon Due to fragmentation and lack of exchange, resigned to manage as 9 separate populations Management objectives for each reach Highly collaborative with adjoining states, Idaho Power, and Nez Perce Tribe 11
Management Actions Habitat protection and enhancement Population monitoring Evaluate fishing-induced induced mortality Fishing regulations, education & enforcement Translocations Conservation aquaculture Establish sport fisheries outside historical range 12
Thank you Good luck in your careers! 13